Man worried family was going to sell his lifelong home after mother’s death murdered 4 relatives with 12-gauge before real estate agent showed up: Cops

A New York man concerned he’d be homeless after the death of his mother murdered four family members before turning the gun on himself moments before a real estate agent was slated to stop by to talk about the future of the home where he lived for his entire life.

Joseph DeLucia Jr., 59, murdered three of his siblings — Joanne Kearns, 69, of Florida, Frank DeLucia, 64, of North Carolina, and Tina Hammond, 64, of New York — and his 30-year-old niece Victoria Hammond also of New York, a press release said. After he shot the four to death, he called 911 to report shots fired before shooting himself to death with a shotgun, Nassau County Police Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick told reporters at a press conference.

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Cops rushed to the home on Wyoming Avenue in Syosset on Long Island where they found all five people dead.

The tragedy comes after the family matriarch, 95-year-old Theresa DeLucia, died of natural causes on Aug. 19, Fitzpatrick said. The family laid her to rest on Friday. On Sunday the relatives were set to meet with a real estate agent to decide what to do with the house where she lived with Joseph DeLucia Jr. According to Fitzpatrick, several family members grabbed some Starbucks and gathered in the den for the meeting. Joseph DeLucia Jr. stayed behind, grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun and proceeded to slaughter his family, Fitzpatrick said.

“The perception of Joseph Jr. was that he was being cut out of the will and was going to be displaced without a place to go,” Fitzpatrick stated.

Newsday newspaper spoke with the real estate agent who was supposed to go over to the home before the rampage occurred.

“The kids were all here for the funeral, and they asked me to come to look at the house,” she said.

What makes the situation even more tragic, Fitzpatrick said, is that Joseph DeLucia Jr.’s family had been written into his mother’s will and he was going to be taken care of.

The suspect allegedly fired 12 shots, hitting the victims multiple times, according to cops. He then went out to the front lawn, shouting about what happened which caused a neighbor to call 911. That’s when he shot himself in the chest, per Fitzpatrick.

Cops say Joseph DeLucia Jr., had past medical issues and cops responded to the home for a well-being check at least once. He bought the shotgun legally, cops said. He had reportedly displayed suspicious behavior in the days leading up to the murders, telling neighbors not to call police if they heard gunshots.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, who described the scene as among the worst he’s seen in more than 40 years as a police officer, said that people should call law enforcement if they hear suspicious behavior.

“As a community, we hear things. We know things. We see things. And if we don’t say something, sometimes the outcomes are like we got yesterday,” said Ryder.

Neighbor Wendy Paisler said DeLucia Jr. was known for screaming when he had a mental health episode. She knew he was having trouble with the death of his mother.

“He just snapped, I think,” she said, according to local CBS affiliate WCBS.

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